Henna Washday - #WashDayExperience

My last washday was also my henna day. 

Here is a brief recap:

I used Nupur Henna this time unlike the unbranded one I've been using. I got Nupur Henna from Sizzelle @ N800. I decided to try it because of the 8 additional herbs it has in it. I mixed and prepared the whole satchet the same way I did here. 

While waiting for dye release, I prepooed with V05 Herbal Escapes Sun Kissed Raspberry with Chamomile Extract Balancing Conditioner + A tablespoon of Tropic Isle JBCO (Rosemary) + A tablespoon Estella Pride Vegetable Glycerin + A tablespoon Now Foods Grapeseed Oil + drops of peppermint oil.

My Pre-poo Mix 

It was also the washday for clarifying, so I washed with ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo, lathered twice. I had the intention of doing a last lather with Creme of Nature Moisture and Shine Sulphate-free Shampoo to restore some moisture. However, I got lazy and decided not to. Lol

I wrapped my hair in a cotton tshirt to absorb some moisture while I got my henna mix ready. I added Estella Pride Vegetable Glycerin and some Grapeseed Oil (I didn't measure just gauged), mixed it up till it was smooth. 

I put on an old tshirt, applied vaseline around the perimeter of my hair and snapped on my gloves. I applied the henna mix using my method of starting in the middle and rolling into a bun until I have a huge bun. I especially love this method because it keeps the henna from drying out and becoming crumbly, it's less messy, it keeps henna off my neck and face since no hair is hanging down. 

I left the henna in for about 4 hours and rinsed it out quite easily. I used cowashed with V05 Herbal Escapes Sun Kissed Raspberry with Chamomile Extract Balancing Conditioner till the rinse water ran clear. 

I tshirt-dried and applied Aussie 3 Minutes Miracle Deep Conditioner to my hair. It was quite late (I started the whole process around 1 pm in the afternoon) and I was exhausted. Hence, I deep conditioned overnight.

I rinsed the following morning with cold water and tshirt-dried. My hair felt soooo nice, strong yet soft. I kept running my fingers through. I'm in love with henna, really. 

I worked in small sections because I was 14 weeks post and tangles and knots are inevitable. I applied African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Moisture Intense Leave-in Conditioner, sealed with Grapeseed Oil, finger - detangled  and blow-dried with cool air using tension method. After blow-drying, I applied a little Cantu Shea Butter Natural Hair Creamy Lotion to each section and detangled with my wide-toothed comb. Detangling wasn't as crazy as I thought it would be. Yipee! I oiled my scalp and put my hair into 6 cornrows and under the wig they went.

I had a couple of knots and few tangles but nothing my fingers couldn't tackle. I didn't even need to grab my Mane n Tail Detangler. I'm getting better at this relaxer stretching game. Normally, relaxer touch-up day would be anytime soon but I think I'll keep going as far as my hair can take it. I had this washday last week, so I'm currently 15 weeks post.

Detangled Hair

Still rocking my short wig!

I will definitely use Nupur Henna again. I loved the results. What's your favourite henna brand?


Related Posts:
My First Henna Experience: Will there be a second? 
WashDay - Second Henna Treatment 

Washday: First length check of the year

Hello darlings,

I've had a couple of washdays these year but I decided not to post them because they were pretty much boring and I've been wigging it to protect my hair from harsh harmattan. However, harmattan seems to be gone for good now. Yippee! ! !

I'm currently 6 weeks post and my washday went thus:
Prepoo: I decided to skip the pre-poo step this week. I had to go out so I had very little time that i had to manage well. Not pre-pooing just this once shouldn't ruin my hair. Lol...nah
Shampooed with my fav shampoo, Creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo diluted in a spray bottle. I lathered twice.
I squeezed out excess water and applied Aphogee two minutes reconstructor. I've not been able to use this conditioner since my touch-up because I ran out. I ordered for another bottle from Sizzelle and thankfully I got it beforethis washday. I also ordered for Nupur Henna and Tropic Isle JBCO (Rosemary). I covered my hair with a clingfilm and within the 5 minutes I wanted to keep it on for, I mixed up my deep conditioning cocktail.
Washed the Aphogee two minutes reconstructor out with lukewarm water, wrapped my hair in a cotton tshirt to absorb excess water and then applied my deep conditioning cocktail. The cocktail had the following in it; Aussie 3 minutes miracle deep conditioner, Motions moisture plus conditioner ( as per this week's #washdayexperience theme - use up an old product), Roux porosity control conditioner, a tablespoon of Tropic Isle JBCO  ( Rosemary ) and few drops of peppermint oil.
I wrapped the hair in cling film and used my Hair Therapy Wrap as heat for source. I rinsed my hair with cold water after about 10 minutes and tshirt-dried for another 10 minutes.

As I mentioned here, I will be participating in challenges this year. The first one is the 6 inches challenge by Dabs of Naija Hair Can Grow. The first step for the challenge is to take a starting picture with a length check shirt and send it in. Hence I had to do a length check but since I flat-ironed my hair just 6 weeks ago, I couldn't do that so soon. I decided to use the cold air tension instead and I actually love the results. See below.

                   Starting length for 2016
After the length check, I simply put my hair in a top - knot, half-down do and went my way. This washday took just 1 hour and 30 minutes including styling and I believe it's my shortest ever.

P.S.: If you are in Nigeria and you would like to order for a length check tee, contact me through my Facebook page or twitter or dm on instagram.

How was your last washday?

Crochet box braids take-down + Relaxer prep wash day

I had the crochet box braids on for 25 days, 4 days longer than I planned but I was so busy that I just didn't have the time. Immediately I started taking the braids down I became apprehensive of the wash day. Geez the tangles were crazy! my new growth were matted all over especially in the middle. This matting always happens whenever I keep a protective style in for 3 weeks or more especially deep into my relaxer stretch. By the way I washed my hair once while the crochet box braids were in. Anyway I faced my fear head-on, not like I had a choice. LOL. I thoroughly and gently detangled with Mane n Tail detangler (which I haven't had to use in a while).

This last wash day was my relaxer prep washday and here's is how it went down:

• Prepooed with ORS replenishing conditioner because of the amazing slip it has. The prepooing session lasted for about an hour.
• I then Shampooed in the sections  (about 6 sections) I had created before prepooing. I used ORS creamy aloe shampoo, lathered once and then Creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo to restore some moisture while still cleaning the hair.
• I wrapped my hair in a cotton tshirt to absorb excess water. 
• I then sprayed aphogee two step protein treatment onto each section and then rolled each section into bantu knots.
• I then dried the hair as per the instructions using my blow dryer on medium heat. ( i was careful not to agitate while drying and when it was dry)
• I went back to into the shower, saturated my hair till it was soft and then rinsed out the protein treatment.
• I decided to use aussie 3 minutes miracle deep conditioner instead of the aphogee balancing moisturiser. I left it in for about 7 minutes and rinsed out with cool water.
• I tshirt-dried for 30 mins 
• I oiled my scalp with my oil mix using my root only applicator bottle, applied megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener and sealed with fantasia ic hair polisher carrot growth serum.
• I blow-dried with cool air using tension method in sections and i detangled each section. 

Despite the care and thorough pre-wash detangling and washing in sections, I still had so many knots in my hair. Post wash detangling took me about 3 hours...sigh. My hair could be so naughty when I'm deep into a relaxer stretch.

     Texture shot after deep conditioning

I'm currently 17 weeks post and I'm planning to do my relaxer touch-up on Friday, 4/12/15. Yippee! can't wait. So I just threw my hair into a simple bun.

How do manage your hair deep into your relaxer stretch? I salute transitioning ladies.

Crochet box braids: 13 weeks post relaxer touch up

I usually do my relaxer touch-ups at 12 weeks post although I have stretched to 14 weeks post relaxer once before. However, my new growth has been soooo manageable like I can't believe it. I guess I owe it to S. curl moisturizer that i started using again. So I have decided to see how far this stretch could go. To make things easier for my hair and I,I thought it best to get a protective style that would keep all my hair out of the way. Voila...! Crotchet box braids it is. I watched the video below for the how to.

My wash day before installation went thus:

1) I prepooed with coconut oil for about 1 hour. I saturated my hair in the coconut oil and applied Tropic Isle Strong roots red pimento oil on my scalp, massaged for 5 mins, wrapped up my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap.

2) Shampooed with Creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo (diluted in a spray bottle). I usually clarify before installing a protective style, but I clarified just a week ago so I decided sulphate-free shampoo should do.

3) Deep conditioned with my fav deep conditioner; ORS replenishing conditioner. I applied the deep conditioner, wrapped my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap. (I love eeeiiitt!). I took a nap for about an hour and half and then rinsed with cold water.

4) T.shirt dried for 30 mins, sprayed aphogee green tea reconstructor, applied megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener and sealed with my oil mix. I decided not to air-dry as I am 13 weeks post and i needed to stretch my new growth so I blow-dried with cool air using tension method.

5) I oiled my scalp with my oil mix, massaged and braided my hair up for the crotchet box braids. Then I attached the extensions I had pre-braided using my lat h hook. I'm planning to keep the braids in for about 3 - 4 weeks

Have you tried the crotchet box braids and would you rock it? How was your last wash day?

Wash day: 11 weeks post relaxer touch up

I took out my first diy crochet braids (see pictures below) after 3 weeks. It was easy peasy and my hair was sooooo soft. So soft that I feared moisture overload.

I skipped on prepoo because my hair felt pretty coated and super-soft. Washed using warm water using ORS creamy aloe shampoo. Lathered once and followed with creme of nature moisture and shine sulphate-free shampoo. T.shirt dried for about five minutes while mixing my deep conditioning concoction  (ORS replenishing conditioner + one tablespoon Jamaican Black Castor oil + 2 tablespoons Coconut oil ). Applied the mix and wrapped my hair in cling film and used my heat therapy wrap. Deep conditioned for about 45 mins. Rinsed with cold water and tshirt-dried for 2 hours.

 It was after tshirt drying that I discovered many tangles and some teeny tiny knots aaaaargh! I started dreading detangling. My initial style for the week was a braid-out. I knew I dared not. Braid-outs tend to give me tangles even when I'm not 11 weeks post. Anyway I worked in smaller sections than I normally would, sprayed aphogee green tea reconstructor, applied my oil mix and blow dried with cold air using tension method. Oiled my scalp with my oil mix using my root only applicator bottle and used my current staple leave-in conditioner (Megagrowth profectiv daily leave-in strengthener. Fortunately, the tangles were easy to work through, although I was very patient It took me about 1 hour and 45 minutes to detangle and comb all sections using a wide-tooth comb. Since a braid-out was off the table, I simply did a faux bun with a bang using marley hair.

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